In this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings:
I. “Agency” means any department, commission, board, institution, bureau, or office of the state, as well as other public and private children and youth service agencies providing services under contract with the department of health and human services.

Terms Used In New Hampshire Revised Statutes 170-G:1

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of these laws, shall mean the section next preceding or following that in which such reference is made, unless some other is expressly designated. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:13
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies corporate and politic as well as to individuals. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:9
  • Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
  • state: when applied to different parts of the United States, may extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall include said district and territories. See New Hampshire Revised Statutes 21:4

II. “Advisory board” means the advisory board on children and youth services.
II-a. [Repealed.]
III. “Child” or “youth” means a person under 18 years of age.
IV. “Department” means the department of health and human services.
V. “Commissioner” means the commissioner of health and human services.
V-a. “Evidence-based practice” means a practice that has been recognized as supported by research evidence by an evidence-based clearinghouse, such as the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare and the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. Other acceptable evidence-based practices shall include practices and programs evaluated using research which utilizes methods that meet high scientific standards. Acceptable methods shall include:
(a) Systematic, empirical techniques that draw on observation or experiment.
(b) Rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test stated hypotheses and justify general conclusions.
(c) Measurements or observational methods that provide reliable and valid data across evaluators and observers, across multiple measurements and observations, and across studies by the same or different investigators.
(d) Randomized controlled trials when possible and appropriate.
VI. “Juvenile probation and parole officer” means those persons responsible for investigating and supervising juveniles referred to the department pursuant to N.H. Rev. Stat. Chapter 169-B and RSA 169-D.
VII. “Placement cost” means the amount appropriated for adoption subsidies, foster homes, foster care, and residential services including group homes.
VIII. “Psychotropic medication” means a drug prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner, to treat illnesses that affect psychological functioning, perception, behavior, or mood.
IX. “Medication restraint” means the involuntary administration of any medication, including a psychotropic medication, for the purpose of immediate control of behavior.